1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a preformed decorative element, which can be injection-overmolded with a plastic material and comprises a printed, transparent or translucent plastic foil. The invention furthermore relates to a plastic part which is provided with a decorative element and is produced by injection-overmolding.
2. Related Art
It is known, for the decoration of plastic parts, for example also for the decoration of interior equipment parts of motor vehicles, to use decorative elements which are applied to the surfaces to be decorated and have a foil which is printed with a decoration either on its outer side or its inner side. The application can take place by bonding the decorative elements over the entire surface, in which case the external appearance which can be obtained in this manner is often not very satisfactory. The application of the decorative elements, particularly in the case of surfaces which are designed with a severe curvature or irregularly, is difficult. For this reason, it has therefore often not been attempted to make diverse objects or parts thereof more attractive with the use of such decorative elements.
Although, when carefully produced, decorative elements which are integrated by injection-overmolding during the production of a plastic component do have a better external appearance, the production of the parts is technically more complex. The decorative effect of decorative elements connected in such a manner to the part concerned corresponds to that of bonded decorative elements. There is now frequently the desire to have available decorative elements which are designed or can be designed to be visually more attractive, so that the complexity of the production due to the injection overmolding process is worthwhile. In addition, there is the desire to connect the aesthetic effect of decorative elements with a functional effect, for example, to emphasize regions where operating elements or the like are accommodated in the plastic part.